Material loader



R. L.. wHEA'rLr-:Y

MATERIAL LOADER FiledDec. 25, 1926 Oct. 2, 192s.

4 Sheets-Sheet N f 'JNVENTUH .4dr/M- www A1-rami@ R. L. WHEATLEY MATERIAL LOADER oct. 2, 192s. f 1,686,053

Fiied Dec. 25. 192e 4 sheets-sheet 2 oet. z, 192s. @86,053

R. L. WHEATLEY I MATERIAL L OADER I Filed Dec. 23. 192e 4 sheets-sheet 3 NETE star e.

ROBERT L. WHEATLEY, F

UMOND, INDIANA., SSIGNOR 0F ONE-TENTH T@ FRED D. WELSON, 0F ARVEY, DJLNOS.

TERIAL LOER.

Application lecl December 23,11926. Serial No. 156,730.

My invention relates to improvements in digging, elevating and loading devices and more particularly to a comparatively simple, durable and inexpensive attachment for tractors the motor of which furnishes the power not only for transportation from place to place, but also for operating the necessary mechanism. y

An object is to provide a frame work attachable to front and rear portions of the tractor and extending to the rear thereof for the support of a laterally (and automatically)`movable digging and elevating mechanism driven by the tractor motor.

Another object is the provision of power operated mechanism attached to and traveling with the elevating mechanism for raising and lowering it along an inclined plane.

Another object is the provision of amaterial receiving hopper adapted to receive material from the laterally traveling elevating vmechanism having relatively wide receiving v and narrow discharging ends for the purpose of delivering into narrow receptacles.

Still another object is the provision of suitable shape-d frame members arranged to support and guide the hopper during the hoisting and dumping operation which not only cause it to dump automatically, but also cause its return to the receiving position.

\ Another object of this invention also is "the provision of automatically acting mechanism operated by the motor for stopping and reversing the lateral travel of the digging mechanism in addition to, and independent of, hand operated means, provided for the same purpose.

Another object is the provisioon of a suitable shaped bucket on the digger enabling it to`\dig1while traveling sidewise.

l am aware that numerous combinations for tractors have been invented and marketed with the intention of supplying the demand for an inexpensive and durable tractor loader, but l am not aware of any having the capabilities of my invention, for instance, with the machine of this invention, provided as it is, with a laterally movable digger, it is not necessary, when loading material from a pile, to be constantly shifting the position of the tractor sidewise for the reason that the path made by my digger is of suicient width to enable the tractor wheels to follow without interfering with the pile which result cannot be obtained with a stationary digger of a practical width. 'By 'practical width is meant one narrow enough to, with the weight and pressure available in a small machine, really dig in and load itself with the average material to be handled. Another use to which my invention is put where my comparatively narrow, laterally movable digger is of great value is in preparing streets for paving as it is many times necessary'to remove from four to twelve inches of earth from the surface before the paving can belaid, in which case my digger is lowered the proper amount and the tractor backed into the work, the digger continuously traveling from side to side and not only cutting a clean path for the tractor wheels, but also enabling the tractor to set level which is not possible with .a stationary, narrow digger.

Since it is understood that delivery is made into a truck backed adjacent the front of the tractor, another obvious advantage of my laterallymovable digger is the fact that a give,L amount of material` can be loaded with less lineal movement of the vehicle than is possible where the digger doesnot move laterally and outta wide path.

With the foregoing and minor objects in view, the invention resides in the novel arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed, the descriptivey the front. i

Figure 2 is a plan view of the tractor, hopper and-hoisting mechanism of Figure 1, a portion of the digger mechanism is shown 1n section on line A-A, Figure 1, with the eX- ception of a portion broken away to more clearly show the means employed for transmit-ting power from the tractor.

Figure 3 is a lower front view of the attached frame showing the means of support, the method of supporting, and driving the hoisting drums.v

Figure 4c is an inverted view of Figure l taken on line B-B, in the direction indicated by the arrows, and shows in detail the mechanism for raising and lowering the diggel', means by which it is caused to travel latica ' travel of same.

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail side-elevation of the automatic reversing mechanism of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a partial rear end view of the tractor, showing the method of taking power therefrom together with t-he frame work supporting the principal drivingl shafts.

Figure 7 is a sectional view of the digger frame, taken on line CQ-C of Figure 1, viewed'in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 8 is an end view of the Worm drive shownon line D-D of Figure 7, showing how the non-circular shaft and worm gear are supported.

The drawings show the preferred form of my invention but it will be understood that the several improvements are not restricted to the exact details shown and that I reserve the right to, within the scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed, make such minorchanges as may from time to time appear desirable.

The attachment includes the frame structure composed' of the base members 10, one of which is arranged on each' side of the tractor body 12, and suspended below the rear axle housing 14 by bolts 16, each member having its forward end upwardly inclined and secured in any'- suitable manner, as by rivets, to the extreme forward U shaped member 18, su ported at its` lower middle by the front ax e pivot bolt of the tractor-20. This U frame is braced at its upper ends by the members 22, one at each side, which in turn are anchored at their lower ends to frame members 24 and 26 which'are suitably secured to the base members 10` and 28.

i misalignment in a manner not shown, and all In other words the frame as shown in the right side elevation of Figure 1 is duplicated, on the left side of the tractor 12, the two side frames being connected rigidly together at various points, two of such connecting members being pointed out at 30 and 32, Figure 1.

,Members 30 and 32 are of such 4formation that their top surfaces are well adapted to act as supporting guides for the digging unit hereinafter/described in detail.

Numeral 34 represents a hollow casting rectangular in cross-section having four bearing supporting arms 36, (one of which isv shown in Figure 2 and two of which are shown in Figure-1) to which are rotatably secured four flanged supporting rollers 38, adapted to traverse the guide members 30 and 32.

The body of the digger proper is slidably carried in casting 34, and is built up of suitable steel angles 40, four in number, one at each corner, being suitably bra-ced against connected at their upper endsby the drive sprocket castings 42, one'on each side, and at their lower ends by the digging sprocket castings 44, one at each side, adjustably connected the-reto in any approved manner as for inst-ance, bolts passing through slotted holes 46. 48 is an idler sprocket and 50 is a drive sprocket over which an endless chain 52, provided with buckets 54, isarranged to be driven when the sprocket 50 is rotated.

56 is a drive shaft journaled in the upper cast-ing 42 and `is supported at each end thereby, and has secured thereto, at the longitudinal center of the digger, the

sprocket 50, and at the end, viewed 1n Figtp, the pinion 66, meshing with the gear 68,

keyed to the end of shaft 70 which extends across and beyond the digger frame and has, keyed to its opposite end, the sprocket 72, to which power is applied through the chain 74, more fully explained later.

Extending across and beyond each side of the digger frame near the lower end is, r0- tatably journaled the shaft 76, having at one end a crank adapting it for hand manipulation, and, keyed to the opposite end is a sprocket'78, connected by the chain 80 to the sprocket 6l which is for the purpose of power manipulation. Just outside the digger frame, on each side thereof, there is, slidably mounted, on the shaft 76 a sleeve 90, to which at each end thereof, is rigidly secured a gear 91, one each of which is provided with an annular groove 92 in which are non-rotatively engaged the shifter forks 93, both suitably secured to the shifter 94, which rod is, at one end, formed into a handle, it being understood that the rod 94 is slidablev inv its bearing when it is desired to slide the sleeves 90 lengthwise of the shaft 76 .and that these sleeves therefor move in unison.

Positively inounted againstc endwise movement and attached to each side of the digger frame are screw shafts 96 (see Figure 4), held' from movement in one direction by the gears 98 and in the other direction by the collars 100, which are pinned thereto, said ,shafts being adapted for rotation in their'bearing by the gears 98 when in mesh withfeither'of those on the sleeves 90.

The other, or upper ends of these shafts 96 are threaded into ears 102, fastened to casting 34.`

l From t-he foregoing it is obviousthat when the screw shafts -96 are caused to turn by the engagement `of either the gears 91 or 92 with ably mounted on and to rotate with the shaft 106 is worm member 108, held in osition longitudinally by having its en s bear against the supporting arms 110 which are integral parts of the casting 34. Arms 110 are provided with machined bearings in which are fitted for rotation with the shaft 106, bushings 112 each provided with an internal opening vto slidably fit shaft 106. One

` end of shaft 106 is fitted with a driving sprocket 114 which receives power through chain 116.

Meshing with the worm 108 is worm-gear 118 which like the worm is held in position by bearings 120, also integral with the casting 34, which support the shaft 122 to which the gear 118 is non-rotatably, but slidably, secured. Shaft 122 has secured thereto two spur gears 124 of equal size, the teeth of each being aligned with the other. Gears 124 are located at the extreme upper and lower ends of this shaft and are adapted to mesh, alternately, with the stationary racks 126 and 128 formed in the castings 130 and 132.

It will be noted that teeth 126 face downward and that teeth 128 face upward and when engagement is made with the ears 124 it is maden on opposite sides thereo and attention is called to the fact that suiicient space is allowed between these racks to permit the free rotation of the gears 124. They are then said to be in the neutral position and will be referred to later as such.

Intermediate the ends of and surrounding the shaft 122 is a collar 131, secured thereto and provided with an-annular groove within which is engaged a shifter fork 133 keyed to the rocker` shaft 134, one end of which, specifically the near end, as viewed in Figure 1, is formed to make a handle which may be manually rocked in its bearings 135 by an operator standing upon the platform '136 when it is desired to disengage ,or shift the position of the gears 124. It is worthy of note that by means of this handle the manual disengaging or reversing of the gears may be effected at any point of travel along the guides 30 and 32. Y

For the purpose of automatically reversing the position of the gears 124 when the digger frame has reached theend of itstravel farthest from the operator, a friction gear sector 138 is slidably, butnon-rotatably, secured near the end of the shaft 134 and is normally held in agiven position by the compressionable spring 140 which surrounds the shaft 134 and has one end abutting against the beforementioned gear sector and the other against the bearing 135, as shown in Figure 4. As

will be noted by inspecting Figure 4, the sec-l tor 138 is provided with a slot in both sides of the hub through'which is passed a pin 142 which not only causes the sector and shaft to rotate together, but limits the sliding movement of the sector in both longitudinal directions. l.;

Rigidly secured to the shaft 106l near the end thereof is a friction gear 144 of a diameter proper to engage the surface of the sec.

tor 138 (see Figure 5) when the digger frame,

-carrying with it the sector 138, approaches the end of its travel in that directlon.

It is obvious that suiiicient pressure exerted against the beveled faces of the gear and sector 138 and' 144 will cause them to rotate in unison and that the rotation of 144 in the direction of the arrow 146 willr rock the shaft 134 and will, through the medium of the shifter fork, 132, the shifter collar 130, and the shaft 122, shift the gears 124 from the racks 128 into the racks 126.

It should here be explained that this automatic shifting of the gears 124 takes place.

only when the digger frame has'reached the extremity of itsV travel along the' racks in one direction, specifically at the end farthest from the platform 136, and that control of the lateral travel of the digger frame at any other time is effected by the operator by means of the handle 148 on that end of the shaft 134 opposite the gearA sector 138.

150 is an -elevatable hopper having a narrow deliver opening 152 and a receiving opening 154 wi e enough to receive material -from the digger at' any of its various positions along the guides 30 and 32, and herein lies one of' the great advantages of my machine, namely the ability to load the hopper evenly and completely with only casual attention from the operator.

The hopper is supported at four points by rollers 156 adapted to turn on axles 158 cxtending across and secured to, itsbottom and it has attached to its sides, at a point suitable to facilitate dumping, cables' 160 which are passed over sheaves 162 rotatively secured at the top ends of the member 18 as shown in Figure 1.

As previously mentioned the frame work as shown in Figure 1 is duplicated on the opposite side of the tractor and there is at each side a member 22 and also, at each side, a member 164 secured' together as shown by members 166, one only of which is shown. The members 22 are of channel section adapted to receive, within the upper and lower legs, the rearrollers'l''of the hopper 150 which not only supports them but prevents their dslodgement while dumping, as shown 132 by the dotted lines 168. Members 164, as shown in Figure 1, are supported at their forward ends by securing theln to the side bars of the frame member 18 and are so shaped that when the forward supporting rollers travel along them the hopper 150 assumes the dumping position as shown in dotted lines 151.

The cables 160 after passing pver the sheaves 162 extend downward at each side of the frame to a point convenient for control and are there secured each to a hoisting drum 170, secured tothe shaft 172 journaled in bearings on the frame member 18.

Slidably but otherwise secured to,'and surrounding, the shaft 172, is a male clutch member 174 adapted to engage the companion clutch member 176 which is integral with the driving sprocket engaged by the chain 178 which transmits power from the tractor motor 180 through the medium of the sprocket 182, shaft 184, gears 186, 188, 190 and 192, when lthe clutch 194 is engaged b the operator by moving the lever 196, it eing understood that the gear 190 rotates with its supporting shaft 198 only when it is engaged by the clutch 194 which is splined thereon.

Shaft 198 extends toward the rear of thc tractor and through the tractor housing and has keyed thereon the bevel gear 200 which meshes with the gear 202, keyed to cross-shaft 204, which is rotatively secured in bearings on the frame, (see Figures 2 and 6) and has, keyed to its opposite end the sprocket 206 which drives chain 208.

Chain 208 is directed downward and backward (see Figure 1) and connects 206 with another sprocket 210 secured to the countershaft 212, which is suitably supported in bearings on the frame and has, at its outer end, the sprocket 214 keyed thereto, which, through chain 116, (see Figures 1 and 6) drives the` sprocket 114 and consequently the mechamsm for raising and lowering the digger frame, operating the bucket chain and moving 1t laterally across the path of the tractor.

The tractor motor, represented by the crank-shaft 180, is provided with a flywheel 218 within which is a conventional friction clutch actuated by the lever 220, rod 222 and foot pedal 224 fulcrumed on the stud 226, extending outward from the side of the traetor body, conveniently located to the platform/136.

The-tractor body 12 is supported on two rear driving wheels 228, one on each side, and two front steering wheels 230, pivoted on the axle 232 through the medium of the Aspindles 234, each of which have a conventional rearwardly extending arm 236. Arms 236 are pivotedly connected by the rod 238.

One of the spindles 234 has a forwardly curved arm 240 to which is pivoted the steering rod 242 which has its rear end pivoted to the lower arm ofthe bell-crank lever 244 which is rotatively secured on a rigid pin suitably secured to the frame work at 246. The other, or upper, arm of bellcrank 244is` linked to the operating lever 248 by the link 250 as shown. Lever 248 is pivoted to the frame in any suitable manner, as for instance, the pin 252 and is provided, at its forward end, with a handle 254.

From the foregoing it is obvious that to steer the machine, the operator standing on platform 136 has but to raise or depress the handle 254, which when pressed downward steers to the left and when raised steers in the opposite direction.

Obviously conventional tractors such as the one shown are provided with change speed transmissions, having a neutral gear position permitting the motor to be cranked without, engaging the remainder ofthe mecha nism, and which also ermit travel in both forward and reverse directions, and I do, of course, employ such 'a transmission which is entirely conventional and not a part of this invention and therefore not shown.

To operate the machine, the motor is started and the shaft 198 set in motion by the operation of the clutch, gear shift, etc., in the usual manner and as has been explained, power is supplied from shaft 198 to shaft 106 through the medium of the various gears, sprockets and chains shown.

Through shaft 106, chain 74, gears 66, 68, 58 and 60, the digger chain is set in motion and travels in the direction indicated by thel arrows, and, simultaneously, through the mediumL of the worm and gear 108 and 118 respectively, the shaft 122, with its gears 124, will be rotated, and if the gears 124 are laced in mesh with the racks 126 or 128, y the proper movement of the lever 148, the entire digger frame will be moved in a lateral direction across the rear of the machine, supported ou the guide rails 30 and 32.

Obviously, should the shaft 122 be positioned, by the shifter lever 148, so that the gears 124 were between the lracks 126 and 128 the'lateral travel of the digger frame would cease, and should the tractor be backed further into the work at this time the path cut by the digger would be of no greater width than the buckets or other digging im* plements attached tothe chain carrying them.

However, if, after the tractor has been moved backward and stopped, the shaft 122 v be again moved until the gears 124 engage one or the other of the racks, the digger frame would be slowly moved crosswise into the work, in the desired direction. y

In case it is desired to change the depth of the bottom of thev furrow, the operator through the medium of the shifter .rod 76 causes the proper gear on the sleeves 90 to engage the gears 98 and the threaded rods 96 act to elevate or depress the frame relative to the main casting 34, by virtue ofthe threads thereon as hasbeen fully explained heretofore.

When the desired amount of material has been deposited in the hopper 150 by the digger, the operator may, by disengagin the clutch 194 -from the gear 190, sto the d1gger and if desired, by using the regu ation gearing in the tractor 'not shown), move the machine to asuitab e place of deposit, at which time the hopper 150 may bc hoisted, by first engaging the clutch andv gear, 194 and 190, which also sets in motion the sprocket 182, chain 178, and hoisting clutch 176, then by engaging the clutch member 174 with 176, the drums 170 will, through the medium of the cable 160, elevate the hopper to its dumping position at lthe top of the member 18 as shown in dotted lines in Figure 1.

I anticipate the desirability of having the platform 136 of sutiicient length and Width to enable the operator thereon to act-nate all the manually manipulatable devices in a convenient and rapid manner and the platform shown is merely for purposes of illustration.

I also wish it understood that I do not limit myself to the particular digger bucket, or buckets, shown for, obviously, different material will require different devices in this f respect.

What I claim as my invention and Wish to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In combination with an automotive vehicle, a supplemental frame, a movable hopper thereon, a digger movable sidewise across said frame delivering in said lhopper and means for dumping the hopper by power from the vehicle motor.

2. In combination with a tractor, a supplemental frame, a movable hopper thereon, power means for moving the hopper at will, 'a digger movable sidewise across said frame deliverin into the hopper, said digger being mova le by power at the will of the operator.

3. In combination a tractor, a supplemental frame, a movable hopper thereon, ower means for moving the hopper at wil and a digger movable sidewise across said Jframe deliverin into the hopper, said digger being mova le by power independently of the hopper.

4. In combination, a tractor, a frame around the same, a movable hopper on the frame, a power driven digger movable sidewise across said frame delivering into the hopper, a station, and means within reach of an operator at the station for controlling the hopper and digger independently.

I 5. In combination a tractor, a frame around the same, a movable, automatically dumped hopper on the frame, said hopper havirwr relatively wide receiving and nar- 'row delivering ends, an operators station, and means within reach of the operator' for causing the hopper to move along the frame and ret-urn as desired and a digger movable crosswise of the frame delivering into said hopper.

6. In combination with a tractor, a supplemental frame, rigidly secured thereto and supporting a laterally reciprocating digging mechanism and a longitudinally reciprocating hopper mechanism operated by the tractor motor said hopper mechanism adapted to receive material from the digger in all its posit-ions.

7. In combination with a tractor, a frame secured thereto, a laterally reciprocating digging mechanism and a longitudinally reciprocating hopper mechanism ada ted to receive material from the digger in a l its positions on the frame, and power transmission means independently connecting each of said mechanism to the tractor motor, a station on the machine and manually mani ulatable means at the station, for the in ependen control of each.

8 In a machine of the class described in combination, a wheeled frame, a motor,a laterally movable earth digger at one end of the frame movable relative to the frame, ad'apted to discharge into a hopper, said hopper being adaptedv to receive and ele-- vate the material delivered by the digger in all its positions and discharge the same beyond the opposite end of the frame.

9. In a machine of the class described, 1n

combination, a wheeled frame with a motor f thereon, a laterally reciprocatable digger at one end of the frame and movable crosswise thereof, a material receivinghopper at the opposite end of the frame havmg relatively wide receiving and narrow delivering ends, a station for an'operator supported by the trame, and means within reach lof the station actuating the hopper to discharge material received from the digger in all its positions to a point beyond the frame.

'10. In combination with an automotive vehicle, a supplemental frame, a digger movable sidewise across said frame, an inclined track also secured to said frame and a wheeled hopper intermittently movable along the track by power from the vehicle motor,

l 11. In combination with an automotlve vehicle, a supplemental frame supporting a digger movablel sidewise across it, a plura ity of inclined Wheel supporting members adapted to support the wheels of a hopper movable therealong, said wheel supportlng members being so shaped that the inclination of the hopper is changed as it traverses them.

ROBERT L. WHEATLEY. 

